HAL, Kalyani, Tata, Adani, L&T in Amca race

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and several private firms — Bharat Forge Ltd, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and Adani Defence & Aerospace — have responded to the Aeronautical Development Agency’s (ADA’s) expression of interest (Eol) forthe Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (Amca), India’s first indigenous stealth fighter jet, sources told Business Standard on Tuesday.

- BHASWAR KUMAR

September 30 was the last date for responding to the Eol, issued in June by the Amca’s design agency — the ADA, an autonomous body under the MoD — to shortlistIndian entities capable of building prototypes of the stealth jet and supporting its testing and certification.

Notingthat the Eol marks only the qualification stage, the sources said, on condition of anonymity, that once the responses are evaluated, the ADAwillissuea request for quotation to build five Amca prototypes and one structural test specimen.